Alexander watkins



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

A. WATKINS. SEWING MACHINE.

No. 313,970. Patented Mar. 17, 1885.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. WATKINS. SEWING vIVIAGHIISTEl No. 313,970. Patented Mar. 17, 1885.

N. PETERS. Flwlwmhngnpvw. wnshngmn. D. c.

d' of the machine.

UNiTsn STATES PATENT Ottica.

ALEXANDER WATKINS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE SEIN-J- ACTING SEWING MACHINE COMPANY, LIMITED, OF SAME PLACE.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,970, dated M'arch 17, 1885.

Application filed April Q3, 1884. (No model.) Patented in England November 1li, 1877, No. 4,326.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER WATKINS, asubj ect of Her Britannie Majesty, residing at London, England, have invented new and My invention has for its object the construction of sewing-machines in such a manner as to reduce friction in their working and to render the same more easily driven, so that they may be adapted to be run by a spring or other small motor. i

Figure l is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 an end elevation, of the complete machine. Figs. 3 and 4 are back and end elevations of the same. Figs; 5, 6, and 7 represent the loopershaft and its special bearings detached from the machine. Figs. 8 and 9 are details of improved apparatus for regulating the tension of the thread. Fig. 10 is an altcrnativedetail of the presser-bar.

A A2 are the table and standards or frame B is the main or driving shaft, to which manual or meohanicalpower is to be applied by means of a drivingpulley, U, thereon. C is a spur-wheel on this shaft, gearing with the wheel D, to which is connected the light rod E, which is jointed to the lever-bar Fforworking the needle. This lever-bar F has its fulcrum at G, which it will be seen is about midway between the two ends of the lever, thereby balancing the lever, or nearly so, and diminishing the power required to work it. The requisite throw for working the needle H is obtained by connecting the rod E to the wheel D in the manner shown in Fig. 2, whereby the end of the rod has a suitable crank motion imparted to it. By this arrangement it will be seen that the power required to work the needle from the driving-shaftis greatly diminished.

I is the looper-shaft, which is driven by the wheel D, and is mounted so as to turn in hard steel bearings. This shaft is formed with a small journal at each end, as shown in Fig. 5, the journal at the end nearest the wheel D passing through a steel collar, K, inserted in the bearing of the shaft,and the journal at the other end working in a steel collar insertedin the bearing L. In each case the frictional surface in contact with the journal is only of the width of the collar in which the j ournal works.

Fig. 6 shows the steel collar K, and Fig. 7 the steel collar in the bearing L. By forming and mounting the shaft in this manner a great diminution of bearing and frictional surface is secured, and wear of the parts is prevented by making them of steel or other suitable hard material." V

IWI is the presser-bar, the friction in the working of which is diminished by substituting for the ordinary spiral spring round a vertical spindle a flat spring, N, the end of which is passed through an aperture in the bar,in which are formed slots to admit of the slight vertical movements of the bar on xed studs, which, with the slots,serve as guides for the bar. Alternatively, I use a plate or shank (see Fig. l0) for the presser-bar with three slots, o o o. sliding on fixed studs, so as to ease the motion in lifting the foot and presser bar by providing additional points as guides for the sliding plate.

O is a vertical screw-rod with a button at the top, by turning which the rod will be screwed down on aspring-brake, I), and cause the same to press on a small wheel, Q, on the shaft of the wheel D, and thereby stop or retard the motion or" the machine, as may be required. On raising the rod O, by turning the screw in the reverse direction, the wheel Q will be released from pressure by the reaction of the spring fixed to the brake P.

R is the ordinary spool for supplying the thread to the needle. The bottom iange of the spool It rests on a spring, S, and the tension of the thread is regulated, as required, by pressing the said flange onto the spring by means of a button, T, at the top of the bobbin.

For regulating the tension of the thread I may alternatively introduce the apparatus, Figs. 8 and 9. a andb are two plates mounted as shown, the upper plate, a, being formed, as

IOO

2. In a sewingunachine, the combination,

with the drivingshaft B, its geanwheel C, the I5 looper-shaft I, having friction-Wheel Q, and gear- Wheel D, the latter provided with a crankpin, the connecting-rod E, the needle-lever F, und the needle-bar, ofthe spring-brake P and the screw-rod O, by which the friction of said 2o brake is regulated, substantially as set forth.

London, this 7th dayof March, A. D. 1881. ALEXANDER VATKINS. Vitn esses:

WILLIAM O. HEWLETT, SAMUEL P. XVILDING. 

